New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-21
THE RAFT TOWED THE SHIP.
at LAsr IT SNAPPED raA BIG HAwspHs.
WILL. SOMEBODY PLEASE PICK IT UP - FOg. A
SrrAMgR CE ASIlEs INrn LII

STEAMER CRASHES INTO III
On the a"riya! Of The steamship Miranda OF Whites
,tonc L. l.. carly yesterday, Telegram was sent to
his ciy announcing hat The monster raft which tia,
vessel had I'm TOW from Nova scotia had hccn lost on
Sunday norrn, DORM: severe storm and .cmrestu-
sea Tho vrs>cl .'s'lf damaged by the Intense
strain OF hc steel harsers connects tho raft ard tbs
ship, which snapped HE cords when the gale was at
It's height. The immrns, craft "a drifting almessl,
at sea, and las, seen bearing soIth-southwcst Of
Nantucket South Shore Ightshlp, IN latitude 400 16
north and Longitude 7o' g west. A lcaf from tbs
captains log gives the following story If N, tsf,
separation from tho Miranda:
"We found tho raft tbrcc or four miles south q
Port Joggns (near the Bay Of Funly) the mornln,
OF December g. and after hard work in getting her or
anchor about o! December g, the turn II IN,
lido, started towing tho raft AMI proceeded down
the Bay. On December II the Nantucket South shore
llghtshlp bore southeast. There heavy gallo
northwest, but d, evening OF the 18th the gala
came from the southeast and contInncd until the next
morning II then vcolrd 10 northwest and turned INTO
a perfect hurricane. terrific running and
about O'Clock In tho morning the cables parted and
the raft went adiif and was lost to sight
The raft was holding we'll together at the time and
only few small log had Leon oOsened. Tie mmcrsa
raft venture In marine trans portaiion. and
as an economic means Of carrying hugo quantities Of
lumber long distances regarded I'M
rtan innovation, which IN the event Of would
FcNOutonlZe lumber transportation. IL was consigned
TO Jamcs II Lcary, OF No. 81 William ST. and tho
invention Of HIgh Y. Robertson. The total cost %
the raft, including timber, construction and towing
charges, will amount to about $4,000 In share tho
raft IS like cigar with fatcned side, AMI blrn end.
1t Is SEQ feet long, Co feet wide feet high and drew
about feet OF water. TIE pieces Of lumber puptcr
% 900, each secured by chains and wiibeS and dis
posed In sixty layers. Tho weight f. II 600 tons and
tho raft has been IN construction during two years
A TRIBUNE reporter Hugh Robertson the In
ventor of the scheme, who was board the Miranda
and received IN, acc"llt: "The fist few DAYS @.
Che nip were quite succcsSful, and the steamer which
ordinarily at thirteen knots proceeded easily at
about three Knots during the fair weather. when tho
storms came On. however. II required Tho careful
management in paving ont the hawserS. I5-inch
the other 1Oinch. with tho raft following at aboHl
100 fathoms Al times the strain so intense that
the vessel. instead OF towing. being towed Whcr
tho nral m0mont came the h.g steel havscr broh
away without tho least noise. and n whirins
high I'm the air. Instantly the strain was Transferred
to tho other sido Of tn, vessel The BIT broke away and
the ratt was completely severed from the hip There
wasn't the least fog on tho and .Ould thn
rcft mc distant. securely seti,i In tho trough 81
the sea Tho snip was forced To abandon Tho raft
because the stock Of provisions and oil almost
hansted don't fhlnf the raft viii 60 on the shoals
which fully thirty miles distant, because the wind
blowing It due vest
James d. Loary Tho owner Of the raft, was IN tho
room at the tIno and added. with emphasis: 81 hold
tho ship and the responsible for tho loss. since
by the terms of The contract The Miranda should have
been AZ rho raft Oh fho o9d o. o:d of November ir.t
tho right time for H." lido aud moon Instead they
were two weeks late. encountered fcarfnl weather.
and ont of oil and provisions" Degrading h!s
paus Ia secure the RAJ. hr said: q" II can charter
Boston vessel " ,lrb have I'm mind. win send
her the raft m The eXpcnS" Of the Nj
randas ownrfS Cautain Iittlcicid who my
representative H." Miranda. WIN BE- In charge.
think well le Ssccc~~ fnl7
81 the Office 81 Boring &; Archibald. the owners III
the Miranda. il stated that tine Drm would mako
no effort find the ran our towing cEarg',.' said
one Of the firm. VIII Amount 20 about $500 rs II
now. although. n IN" trip had boon successful II
would have been ilD'h muic." The Miranda l. a
- -faf l.f-fe, off ~ Pod Grg-s
I'M. In June. LASS - ashore at puini Judith
The officer, Of tn -, i'iW' Exchange have request
81 the Navy Department m Washington 10 send naval
vessel to the Ilar' v'r' ihN rafi was last seen -
warn inward houul vessels Of their floating danger
Tho United state, photographic EJi~au Of his cry
Ia, cndeayo,cd TO lu'lim outgoing craft a far -
possible.